Every UK #1 Single of The 1980's Discussion Thread.

Following on from all the 1970's threads...after a few discussions with like minded peeps, it was felt we needed to continue into the 80's...and see where it takes us.
As far as I can recall the peak for 7" singles was 1979 thru to 1981...from then on sales gradually declined.
It will be interesting as we get to the later years...and the rise of the CD single etc.
Basically tho...its a trip down memory lane.
Thanks to @Bobby Morrow for the original idea and all the other contributers....@Randoms, @cut to the chase and @W.B in particular.....along with everyone else....too many to mention.

I will follow each Number 1 as they were released......and post a new one every 2 to 3 days depending on interest, time and anything else that pops up!!!!!!
You have been warned.....

Following on from all the 1970's threads...after a few discussions with like minded peeps, it was felt we needed to continue into the 80's...and see where it takes us.
As far as I can recall the peak for 7" singles was 1979 thru to 1981...from then on sales gradually declined.
It will be interesting as we get to the later years...and the rise of the CD single etc.
Basically tho...its a trip down memory lane.
Thanks to @Bobby Morrow for the original idea and all the other contributers....@Randoms, @cut to the chase and @W.B. in particular.....along with everyone else....too many to mention.

I will follow each Number 1 as they were released......and post a new one every 2 to 3 days depending on interest, time and anything else that pops up!!!!!!
You have been warned.....

I will certainly contribute as best I can depending on the circumstances of each one. One thing, though: Whenever we get to the end of a year's #1's, and reviewing the list, I will (as always) show those that hit #1 on the NME but not Official Charts. This will continue up to 1988 when NME's chart is finally discontinued.

As for the '60's . . . I would recommend individual years as has been done for 1970-79 . . . albeit counting backwards (from 1969).

The first Number 1 of the new decade was the last one of '79....Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall, but we will be starting with the first 'new' Number 1 of the year.....
Starting the decade off.....

The first 'new' No1 of 1980....

The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

2 weeks at No1....from the 13th to 26th of January 1980.
2nd No 1 of 1980 and No 449 in total...

"Brass in Pocket" (also known as "Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)") is a 1979 single by The Pretenders. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris Thomas.Release
The band's third single was their first big success, scoring number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1980 (making it the first new number-one single of the 1980s), number two in Australia during May 1980 (for three weeks),[2] and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Hynde got the idea for the song's title when, during an after-show dinner, she overheard someone enquiring if anyone had, "Picked up dry cleaning? Any brass in pocket?"[3] During an interview with The Observer in 2004, she revealed that she was initially reluctant to have the song released: "When we recorded the song I wasn't very happy with it and told my producer that he could release it over my dead body."[4]

The lyric describes the female singer about to have her first sexual encounter with a particular person, and is expressing her confidence that the experience will be successful.[5][6] According to Rolling Stone magazine critic Ken Tucker, the song uses "an iron fist as a metaphor for [Hynde's] sexual clout."[7]The Rolling Stone Album Guide critic J. D. Considine describes the song as "sassy" and credits the band for "putting bounce in each step" of it.[8] Author Simon Reynolds similarly describes Hynde's vocal as "pure sass" and "a feline narcissism," noting particularly her "lingering languorously" over the words "I'm special."[6] According to AllMusic critic Steve Huey, the backbeat "meshes very nicely with Hynde's unshakable confidence, and the song never gets aggressive enough to break its charming spell or make her self-assurance seem implausibly idealized."[5] Huey also points out a harmonic shift in the music for the portion of the song where the singer lists the various attractive qualities she will use to make the encounter a success.[5] Author Dave Thompson suggests that the song is actually about the Pretenders' first live concert rather than a sexual experience.[9]

1980 got off to a fantastic start, firstly with the "old school" fighting back, with Pink Floyd hitting number one (in a picture sleeve!) the last previous top ten, Syd's, See Emily Play from 1967.

Brass In Pocket is a great song and a worthy number one, but not without some controversy over sales.

I have a signed by the whole band copy of Pretenders debut album, Pete using the P of Pretenders. With what was to follow, looking at it usually makes me a little sad - James Honeyman Scott was a fine guitarist.

Too Much Too Young - The Special A.K.A. Live! is a live EP by The Specials with Rico Rodriguez, released on 11 January 1980.[1] On the original release, the front cover credited the performers as The Special A.K.A. featuring Rico, while the back cover mentions and the labels credited only The Specials.

Renowned for their live shows, The Specials released a five-track live EP in January 1980 as the third single by the band. The EP featured "Too Much Too Young" (originally recorded on the album The Specials) with "Guns of Navarone" recorded live in London; and "Skinhead Symphony" - a medley of "Long Shot Kick De Bucket", "The Liquidator" and "Skinhead Moonstomp" - which was recorded at Tiffany's in Coventry.[2]

Lead track "Too Much Too Young" was based on the 1969 song "Birth Control" by Lloyd Charmers. It is sometimes wrongly stated that the song was banned by the BBC due to mentions of contraception in the lyrics, which is not true. However, when the song's promotional video was featured on Top of the Pops, it was cut off just before reaching the final line, "try wearing a cap".[3]

The Specials - Too Much Too Young (The Special AKA Live EP)
Although at college I was on the Rocker side...there was a Mod revival going on in 1980, I loved all the 2 Tone stuff that came out over that 2 year period or so.
Fantastic it got to the top spot.
5/5